MS-DOS-Based Program Starts When You Start Your Computer

ID: Q187524

The information in this article applies to:

SYMPTOMS

After you run a program in MS-DOS mode, you may not be able to start Windows. Instead, every time you restart your computer, you see the message "Windows 98 is now starting your MS-DOS-based program" and then the MS-DOS-based program starts.


CAUSE

This behavior can occur if you run a program in MS-DOS mode and the program terminates abnormally.


RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, try the following method. If one method does not resolve the issue, try the next method.

Method 1

Restart your computer. As soon as the computer finishes its Power On Self Test (POST), press the ESC key to start Windows.

Method 2

Restart your computer. Let the MS-DOS-based program start, and then quit the program normally.

Method 3

Restore your orignal Config.sys and Autoexec.bat files. To do so, follow these steps:
  1. Restart your computer. Press and hold down the CTRL key until you see the Windows 98 Startup menu.


  2. Choose Safe Mode Command Prompt Only from the Startup menu.


  3. At the command prompt, type the following lines, pressing ENTER after each line:

    ren config.sys config.app
    ren config.wos config.sys
    ren autoexec.bat autoexec.app
    ren autoexec.wos autoexec.bat


  4. Restart your computer.


Additional query words: shutdown shut down start boot 


Keywords          : winboot win98 
Version           : WINDOWS:
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: February 5, 1999